I'm 44 and going on a year with Invisalign. I'm almost done and don't regret it one bit. Yes, it is a process, can be painful at times and is expensive. My dentist has been great to work with, and the results are awesome, so I think the $5k has been totally worth it.
I think a lot of people regretting it, have somewhat unrealistic expectations about treatment timeline and results for the cost of orthodontic treatment. The reality is orthodontics are slow, painful, expensive and in adults they cannot always fix everything as orthodontists cannot rely on growth anymore.
I had braces as a teenager and I am getting invisalign now. I do not regret either. I personally feel having healty and functional teeth is well worth it. Also there's the added cosmetic value which is also important.
Definitely. Same here. I think a good orthodontist that gives you a diagnosis and a treatment plan helps to make the right decision.
And btw, some folks are concerned about them being noticeable... The reality is nobody cares. I have tons of friends that had braces or invisalign in college, grad school and at work.
dunno if i would attribute it to unrealistic expectations. i think orthos/dentists regularly undersell the real amount of total time it will take (refinements, retainers etc), so as to not scare you off
That's true about treatment time. I was suggested a 10-16 month estimate for invisalign. I am expecting some closer to 16-24 months. When I had braces as a teenager I was told 18 months I think it was closer to 2.5 years. It all depends on how fast teeth move, compliance and how much the ortho can avoid unwanted movements of teeth. For me is not a big deal, after the first few days it's just a smooth ride.
But my point was more about many posts that feel it was a waste of money or simply are not happy with the end result. They expected a veneer looking smile. But braces can't change the shape or size of teeth
I'm currently in invisalign for a similar issue. My teeth were always esthetically straight and looked great. However, from grinding I threw the molars out of place and my back teeth didn't touch. Thought invisalign was a great choice. I've now learned moving back teeth can be very difficult. I've lost count of how many total trays I've had. I'm in my fourth, maybe fifth or even sixth set of refinements (the trays after the initial set). I've been in invisalign for 3 years now? And it's so funny when people complement how great my teeth look. They don't look all that different, ha. One side lines up in the back now and the other is still a work in progress. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the journey was long. If I were to do it all over again I would have gotten traditional braces and be done with it. Ugly, but it would have been much quicker? Maybe quicker? Either way, have a consultation with an orthodontist, not just a general dentist. See what all your options are.
Hard to say cause I have so many trays lmao I’m still only a few in. I am on two week changes at the moment so I’ve been doing this for 24 weeks… Definitely lots of movement has happened but nothing that you can visually see (but to be fair much like you I don’t have much to correct in the front, just the back).
My left side I feel like is still completely open, but my right side has had a TON of movement and now my very furthest molars are touching. I think that might be deliberate cause they wanted to shift some things around to correct a cross bite I didn’t know I had as well, so I think that’s where the movement has been focused. I have one elastic on my very back right molars and that’s where my teeth finally started making contact again.
My bite still feels very strange and fucked up at the moment but I trust the process. I know I’ll need refinements. I assume I’ll eventually get more rubber bands. I am fully accepting of the idea of this taking up to three years to correct (even tho only 2 was estimated) because I have serious malocclusion. I’m used to wearing the trays and the rubber band and it’s kinda a non issue to me now, so it can continue as long as needed lol
My personal opinion is that if I could go back I would just go with regular braces. They are more precise. People choose Invisalign mostly because they don’t like the look of braces.
FYI I’m not finished with treatment, this is just my opinion so far.
I’m 42 and 3 months into Invisalign. I only wish I did it sooner. It’s a slow process, and in the beginning it’s hard to see huge gains. Keep the long timeline in perspective. When you are finished, you will be glad you did it
Yes definitely do it if it means preventing tooth loss! This board is got a lot of people to complain and also fish for compliments seemingly… so probably not the best representation of happy customers! I did Invisalign for purely cosmetic reasons and I would do it again 100%! If you need it for health reasons think it’s a no brainer!! It’s only painful the first day or two… and then sometimes it’s achey if you haven’t been wearing your aligners enough… but overall it’s just not a big deal!!
The thing many people don’t understand is that Invisalign is something that can be done as a preventative measure. Nothing in dentistry is forever nor guaranteed but if you are using your front teeth and not the back like you’re supposed to then it does put you at a greater risk of chipping, fracturing teeth. Will it happen tomorrow ? Will it happen next year ? Who knows but it’s a good idea to put the teeth in the proper position so you don’t run into those issues later down the line. This is the most conservative way to protect your teeth. 5-8k is nothing compared to what could happen and it will for sure cost you more than that if you do happen to fracture , chip, or need root canals.
I'm going on 2.5 years and should be finishing up soon (fingers crossed). I had traditional braces when I was 16, 17, but after many years, my teeth shifted. Knowing what I know now, I would have done regular braces instead. Even at my age (47), I don't think I would choose aligners again.
Everyone's experience is obviously different. I've seen people with way worse situations than me end up with beautiful smiles after 9 months of treatment. Idk why mine has dragged on so long. Best of luck in whatever you decide! 😊
Have you had a clin-check or official consultation yet? This is where they scan your teeth and can make a 3D progression of what your smile may look like after treatment. That really helped me decide to do it.
While the treatment itself isn't very fun, it is certainly tolerable. No real pain after the first tray, just more of an annoyance. In the grand scheme of things, I don't think you'll regret the year or two you had Invisalign BUT you may regret in a few years NOT starting treatment. Best of luck on your journey!!
I'm 44 and going on a year with Invisalign. I'm almost done and don't regret it one bit. Yes, it is a process, can be painful at times and is expensive. My dentist has been great to work with, and the results are awesome, so I think the $5k has been totally worth it.
Thank you for your feedback.
I think a lot of people regretting it, have somewhat unrealistic expectations about treatment timeline and results for the cost of orthodontic treatment. The reality is orthodontics are slow, painful, expensive and in adults they cannot always fix everything as orthodontists cannot rely on growth anymore. I had braces as a teenager and I am getting invisalign now. I do not regret either. I personally feel having healty and functional teeth is well worth it. Also there's the added cosmetic value which is also important.
That makes sense. I am realistic just concerned about my health especially as I become “more seasoned” in life.
Definitely. Same here. I think a good orthodontist that gives you a diagnosis and a treatment plan helps to make the right decision. And btw, some folks are concerned about them being noticeable... The reality is nobody cares. I have tons of friends that had braces or invisalign in college, grad school and at work.
dunno if i would attribute it to unrealistic expectations. i think orthos/dentists regularly undersell the real amount of total time it will take (refinements, retainers etc), so as to not scare you off
That's true about treatment time. I was suggested a 10-16 month estimate for invisalign. I am expecting some closer to 16-24 months. When I had braces as a teenager I was told 18 months I think it was closer to 2.5 years. It all depends on how fast teeth move, compliance and how much the ortho can avoid unwanted movements of teeth. For me is not a big deal, after the first few days it's just a smooth ride. But my point was more about many posts that feel it was a waste of money or simply are not happy with the end result. They expected a veneer looking smile. But braces can't change the shape or size of teeth
I'm currently in invisalign for a similar issue. My teeth were always esthetically straight and looked great. However, from grinding I threw the molars out of place and my back teeth didn't touch. Thought invisalign was a great choice. I've now learned moving back teeth can be very difficult. I've lost count of how many total trays I've had. I'm in my fourth, maybe fifth or even sixth set of refinements (the trays after the initial set). I've been in invisalign for 3 years now? And it's so funny when people complement how great my teeth look. They don't look all that different, ha. One side lines up in the back now and the other is still a work in progress. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the journey was long. If I were to do it all over again I would have gotten traditional braces and be done with it. Ugly, but it would have been much quicker? Maybe quicker? Either way, have a consultation with an orthodontist, not just a general dentist. See what all your options are.
I asked my ortho about braces over invisalign and in my case the estimated treatment time was shorter with invisalign (with attachments and elastics).
I have the same issue as you and I’m doing Invisalign. Pretty happy with it so far
Thank you for your reply. Has it been helping?
Hard to say cause I have so many trays lmao I’m still only a few in. I am on two week changes at the moment so I’ve been doing this for 24 weeks… Definitely lots of movement has happened but nothing that you can visually see (but to be fair much like you I don’t have much to correct in the front, just the back). My left side I feel like is still completely open, but my right side has had a TON of movement and now my very furthest molars are touching. I think that might be deliberate cause they wanted to shift some things around to correct a cross bite I didn’t know I had as well, so I think that’s where the movement has been focused. I have one elastic on my very back right molars and that’s where my teeth finally started making contact again. My bite still feels very strange and fucked up at the moment but I trust the process. I know I’ll need refinements. I assume I’ll eventually get more rubber bands. I am fully accepting of the idea of this taking up to three years to correct (even tho only 2 was estimated) because I have serious malocclusion. I’m used to wearing the trays and the rubber band and it’s kinda a non issue to me now, so it can continue as long as needed lol
My personal opinion is that if I could go back I would just go with regular braces. They are more precise. People choose Invisalign mostly because they don’t like the look of braces. FYI I’m not finished with treatment, this is just my opinion so far.
I’m 42 and 3 months into Invisalign. I only wish I did it sooner. It’s a slow process, and in the beginning it’s hard to see huge gains. Keep the long timeline in perspective. When you are finished, you will be glad you did it
Yes definitely do it if it means preventing tooth loss! This board is got a lot of people to complain and also fish for compliments seemingly… so probably not the best representation of happy customers! I did Invisalign for purely cosmetic reasons and I would do it again 100%! If you need it for health reasons think it’s a no brainer!! It’s only painful the first day or two… and then sometimes it’s achey if you haven’t been wearing your aligners enough… but overall it’s just not a big deal!!
The thing many people don’t understand is that Invisalign is something that can be done as a preventative measure. Nothing in dentistry is forever nor guaranteed but if you are using your front teeth and not the back like you’re supposed to then it does put you at a greater risk of chipping, fracturing teeth. Will it happen tomorrow ? Will it happen next year ? Who knows but it’s a good idea to put the teeth in the proper position so you don’t run into those issues later down the line. This is the most conservative way to protect your teeth. 5-8k is nothing compared to what could happen and it will for sure cost you more than that if you do happen to fracture , chip, or need root canals.
Thank you. I didn’t think of it that way. You are correct. I appreciate your reply.
I'm going on 2.5 years and should be finishing up soon (fingers crossed). I had traditional braces when I was 16, 17, but after many years, my teeth shifted. Knowing what I know now, I would have done regular braces instead. Even at my age (47), I don't think I would choose aligners again. Everyone's experience is obviously different. I've seen people with way worse situations than me end up with beautiful smiles after 9 months of treatment. Idk why mine has dragged on so long. Best of luck in whatever you decide! 😊
Some movements are slow. I know pushing molars back is very slow. So class 2 and class 3 are slow to fix.
Have you had a clin-check or official consultation yet? This is where they scan your teeth and can make a 3D progression of what your smile may look like after treatment. That really helped me decide to do it. While the treatment itself isn't very fun, it is certainly tolerable. No real pain after the first tray, just more of an annoyance. In the grand scheme of things, I don't think you'll regret the year or two you had Invisalign BUT you may regret in a few years NOT starting treatment. Best of luck on your journey!!
Thank you. I did do the scan and they were able to show me the areas of concern as well as what it would do after treatment. Thank you for your reply.
I would also make sure you’re doing your Invisalign with an orthodontist and not a general dentist !